Goodnow to receive 2010 Spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Award

January 10, 2010
By: Dave Rogers

Jean Goodnow, President of Delta College, has been selected to be the recipient of the 2010 Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award.

This prestigious award, given annually to a Delta employee who exemplifies the spirit of Dr. King, will be presented at the 14th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Luncheon scheduled for Monday, January 18, beginning at 11 a.m., at the Dow Event Center Unity Hall.

"We are very pleased to give this award to Dr. Goodnow for her exemplary work at the College and in the community," said Linda Holoman, Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion, and President of the Delta College Black Staff and Faculty Association.

The Association noted these recent accomplishments in support of the nomination:

In 2007, Dr. Goodnow signed the College's first International Academic Articulation Agreement with Tracom College in Nakuru, Kenya, in Accounting. In 2009, she traveled to Kenya, to participate in the 20-year celebration of the sister college partnership between Delta College, Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology and Tracom College. During this trip a new signing took place renewing the partnership agreement for 2010-2015, providing Delta College's faculty, staff and student the opportunity to participate in globalization and cultural diversity.

Convened the President's Diversity Task Force, whose charge was to establish key performance Indicators to promote Delta's culture of diversity. The recommendations are ongoing in the mission to implement visible, coordinated, collaborative and sustainable diversity programs that foster a welcoming environment to all.

Dr. Goodnow encouraged and supports the Saginaw Valley African American Leadership Training Institute, which was founded by community leaders Jimmy Green and Hurley Coleman. This program is now in its third year.

With her support more than 500 students have had hands-on design and building experience with Habitat for Humanity home projects.

Under her leadership, Delta College was included in the Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education 2006 Publishers Pick, an honor that recognizes college environments in which many Hispanic students thrive.

With her guidance, Delta College has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for a project to design and implement an integrated system for increasing student retention.

In 2009, Delta College was among nine two-year institutions receiving Honor Roll recognition in results of the "Great Colleges to Work For" survey done by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

She championed several recent sustainability initiatives at Delta, including the south campus parking renovation project which filters stormwater at higher than EPA standards to reduce runoff into the Saginaw Bay.

In 2009, with her assistance Delta received a grant to participate in the national Community Colleges Can! Mentoring Project to create developmental education learning communities to increase retention of those students.

Tickets are $30 and are available at the Delta College cashier's window. The Unity Luncheon is sponsored by the Iota Chi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the Delta College Black Faculty and Staff Association. This year's celebration marks the 10th anniversary of this award. Past recipients are:

2009 - William Ketchum

2008 - Teresa Stitt

2007 - Katrina Nichols

2006 - Joan Sabourin

2005 - Jack Crowell

2004 - Neville Britto

2003 - John Pugh

2002 - Willie Thompson

2001 - Dr. Betty Jones

2000 - Dr. Peter Boyse.

###